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Police: Leominster woman scammed 93-year-old Ayer man out of $85,000

By Lisa Redmond, lredmond@lowellsun.com

Updated:
01/31/2013 11:53:32 AM EST

AYER -- A 54-year-old Leominster woman is facing charges of stealing more than $85,000 over three years from a 93-year-old Ayer man in an alleged scam in which the victim asked for money with the promise of a "big payoff'' in the future.

But, police say, the victim never saw a cent.

In Ayer District Court last August, Kim Enagbare, of 31 State St., apt. L, pleaded not guilty to charges of larceny from a person over 65 and larceny over $250 by false pretense.

Enagbare, who was released on personal recognizance, was in court last week for a pretrial conference. Her next court date is March 20 for a final pretrial conference before a trial.

As part of her release, Enagbare is to stay away and have no contact with the alleged victim.

Enagbare could not be reached for comment. Her attorney David Singer declined to comment on the pending criminal case.

Ayer police officer Kellie Barheight noted in court documents that there are scams in which people take advantage of the senior citizens by getting cash from them, telling the victims they need more money to get the "big payoff.''

Barheight wrote that the senior victim continues to provide more money, but never see any return.

"Most elderly victims are unaware of what they are doing is wrong and truly believe they are going to get a large cash sum in the end,'' Barheight wrote.

In August, Ayer Det. Brian Gill interviewed the victim who told police that he met Enagbare three to five years ago.

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She was a neighbor, who befriended him. The victim would often drive Enagbare to Fitchburg and she would tell him she was having trouble with her children, bills and paying rent, according to court documents.

At first the victim charged Enagbare for gas, but then she started borrowing money from him. The victim believed Enagbare owned him more than $100,000. She allegedly claimed to need money from the victim to pay for transportation to pick up the money she owed him, according to police.

Bank records allegedly show the withdrawals and bank employees have seen the victim taking money out then handing it over to Enagbare, according to court documents.

At times, the victim was writing so many checks to Enagbare that the victim's bank account would be overdrawn as much as $2,600 each month, which would come out of the victim's retirement and benefit checks the following month.

At one point, Enagbare allegedly took $16,000 to $18,000 from the victim to be able to "cash her taxes,'' according to court documents. When she received her tax refund she allegedly promised to return the money, but it was never returned.

Enagbare allegedly had a female attorney contact the victim asking for money for Enagbare so they could "straighten this matter out,'' court documents state. Enagbare was always asking for money for transportation to meet with the attorney, documents state.

The victim alleges that Enagbare would start calling his house as early as 5 a.m. asking for money. If he didn't answer, she would repeatedly call him throughout the day. If he didn't give her money, she would show up at his house and nag him until he gave her money.

Last July, Enagbare allegedly told the victim she needed money to fly to New Jersey to meet with a man who was going to get him his money, documents state. In a telephone conversation overheard by the victim's nephew, a man called the victim and asked why he was giving Enagbare such a hard time and that he was enroute to get him his money, according to court documents.

The nephew described the man as "very angry and bullying,'' toward his uncle, documents state. When the caller learned someone else was with the victim, the caller hung up.

On Aug. 9, 2012, the victim obtained a year-long harassment order against Enagbare. Since the order was issued, the victim hasn't heard from Enagbare.

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